Back to Reality
by Sarah9
Summary: *Added Chapter 13* This is a sequel to my last story, Two Weeks. Vaughn and Sydney are back at work, after realizing that they're in love. Chapter 5 is up!
1. Default Chapter

Back to Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, darnit! (Although I have contemplated kidnapping Vaughn and handcuffing him to my bed... hmmmmm).  
Archive: If you'd like... just ask first :)  
Summary: Syd and Vaughn are back at work after two weeks of fluffy vacation time together.  
Hey everybody! I'm back. I just couldn't stay away. This is a sequel to my last story, Two Weeks. I would suggest reading that story first, so you know the background of what happened (although it was really all just fluff, fluff, and a little fluffiness thrown in for contrast). Still. Go read it. Now, Syd and Vaughn are back at work. What will happen? Beats me... I just started writing it today! I switched over to Vaughn's point of view for an exciting change of pace... and because he's a hottie (that doesn't have anything to do with the POV, but I don't care). As always, read and review. I missed getting reviews every day, which is why I started a sequel! I have no idea where this story is going, but I'm sure it'll go somewhere. Comments and suggestions are always welcome! Enjoy!  
  
Back to Work   
It was already harder than I had expected. Way harder. I sighed, watching her as she talked with a colleague across the room. She had just gotten into headquarters an hour ago, and she had been busy moving from desk to desk, saying hi to everyone, picking up files she needed. And every time I saw her, I wanted to run across the room, take her in my arms, and kiss her until neither of us could see straight.   
  
And it was only our first day back at work. I was in big trouble.   
  
At least I wasn't the only one. I could tell that it was affecting Sydney, too. Between friendly greetings, she'd been sending me discreet glances, a smile playing on her lips. She was deliberately avoiding me. We had both agreed to be extra careful about our actions at work, and we were both nervous about looking suspicious. And yet, it was taking everything in my power not to call out to her from across the room. She knew it, too, and the laughter in her eyes when she looked at me was definitely not helping the situation.  
  
I missed her. It had been about six hours since I had last talked to her, last kissed her before she headed home to get ready for work. And I missed her so much it physically hurt.   
  
I shook my head, forcing myself to return my attention to the glowing computer screen in front of me. Back to work. I had tried to distract myself from thoughts of Sydney by typing up some long-overdue mission reports, but they were boring as Hell, and so far they had only caused my mind to wander even more.   
  
Across the room, Sydney glanced at me, again flashing that dimpled grin that I adored. I smiled to myself, recalling the time we had spent together over our brief vacation. Two weeks. An eternity, for us, anyways. And yet, it wasn't nearly enough. I wanted to spend a thousand eternities with her.   
  
Ever since I'd first met Sydney, I knew it would be different with her. Special. I'd fallen for her that first day in the CIA building, and I'd been falling ever since.   
  
I chuckled to myself, realizing I'd been starting at a blank computer screen for ten minutes. I squinted at the screen, trying to remember what it was I had been working on. I managed several minutes of typing before I felt a hand rest softly on my shoulder. I jumped slightly, startled from my thoughts, which had, of course, been drifting back to non-work related subjects again.  
  
Turning around, my smile widened as my eyes fell on Sydney, who looked at me with an eyebrow quirked up questioningly, the dark aqua shirt she wore underneath her suit bringing out hints of green in her eyes that I had never noticed before.  
  
"Getting a lot accomplished, I see," she said, nodding towards the single paragraph on my screen, a smile gracing her lips. My brow crinkled as I tried to remember when I had managed to write the paragraph. Hopeless. I was completely hopeless. I grinned.  
  
"Can't concentrate," I replied, enjoying the feel of her hand on my shoulder, and suddenly overwhelmed with a desire to pull her into a tight hug. I pushed the feeling away. Now was not the time. Sydney nodded sympathetically at my words.  
  
"Me either." She removed her hand, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention, and I frowned slightly. But her bright smile instantly cheered me up.  
  
"I'm really glad to see you," I say, trying to convey exactly how much I had missed her through my words. She nodded, and I grinned, glad that she understood.  
  
"Me too," she replied. She pulled up a chair, sitting down beside me.  
  
"How was SD-6 today?" I asked, reluctantly returning our focus to work.   
  
"Ok," she replied. "Sloane's sending me on another mission." I smile, realizing she very well could have made a dead drop, and I could have called her later with the countermission, but instead, she had come to tell me in person. It made me feel all warm inside, knowing that she wanted to see me just as much as I wanted to see her. She handed me a slip of paper, which I accepted, skimming over her mission notes briefly. I nodded.   
  
"Doesn't look too bad."  
  
"No," she agreed. "Although I'm sure Sloane will insist on me wearing some crazy getup." She grinned. Sloane was notorious for his—revealing disguises.   
  
"Hopefully no stiletto heels this time." I teased, chuckling as she smacked me lightly on the arm. We looked at each other for a moment, our eyes connecting and speaking the words we couldn't say. Eventually, she tore her eyes away from mine.  
  
"I'd better get back to SD-6," she sighed.   
  
I nodded. "I'll call you with your countermission as soon as I talk it over with Kendall." I smiled up at her as she stood up, pushing her hair behind her ear.  
  
"Sounds good," she replied, returning my grin. Both of us knew that our countermission meetings would take on a whole new meaning now—one of our only opportunities to be alone and really talk to each other. "Talk to you soon," she said softly, placing her hand on my shoulder once again, before turning and heading towards the door. I watched her as she left, my heart beating just a bit faster, my shoulder still warm from her fleeting touch.  
  
I grabbed the slip of paper she had given me and headed to Kendall's office, anxious to get her countermission and hasten a private meeting.   
Hope you liked... this was just kind of an intro chapter. Reviews, please! 


	2. Meeting

Here is chapter 2! I know the first chapter was kind of blah... but I'm not sure quite where I'm going with this. I have an idea for the next chapter, but beyond that... who knows. Well, read and review! I'm excited for Sunday's ep! Not that I haven't rewatched last Sunday's ep like 2,000 times, but still!  
Meeting  
  
I pulled up to the warehouse several hours later, the sun just starting to sink below the horizon. As I headed into the deserted building, I scolded myself for being so excited about the meeting. It was, after all, supposed to be about business. If Devlin or Kendall knew how I was feeling at that moment-- if they knew that this specific handler wanted nothing more than to kiss his asset, they would probably be out of the job faster than Sydney could knock a guy out.   
  
I didn't care. Meetings like this were going to get harder and harder to come by for us, and I wasn't willing to give up the opportunity because protocol said so.  
  
Screw protocol.  
  
Moments later, I heard familiar footsteps, and I rose, surprised at the nervousness I felt. Strange the things that love can do to you.  
  
Sydney appeared around the corner, and I smiled at her. She had changed into jeans and a casual sweater, obviously done with work for the day. I followed her with my gaze as she moved to stand across from me. I found myself at a loss for words. I wasn't quite sure what to say, since it was our first meeting since being back at work. Things shouldn't be different, but we both knew that they were. And, even if I had known what to say, I wouldn't have been able to, since I immediately became preoccupied with the overwhelming beauty of her, of being there with her. She took my breath away.  
  
Apparently, she didn't know what to say, either. After several seconds of silence, she grinned, moving towards me, and pressing her lips firmly against mine.   
  
Leave it to Sydney to get to the heart of the matter.   
  
I sighed contentedly, moving my hands up to frame her face, losing myself in the feel of her close to me. Eventually, oxygen supplies dwindled, and we separated reluctantly. I grabbed her hand, smiling as I brushed my lips over her knuckles. She laughed softly, and I looked up to discover that she was blushing.  
  
"I missed you," I said.  
  
"I missed you, too," she replied, sitting down on the edge of an empty crate. "This is going to be harder than I thought."   
  
"Way harder," I said, nodding in agreement. I lowered myself down beside her, our shoulders rubbing together lightly, and she leaned against me.   
  
"What do you say we get the work stuff over with," she said, gesturing to the file folder I held in my hand.   
  
"Good plan." I handed her the folder. "Just replace the files you give to Sloane with these. We've altered a few pieces of key information. She took the folder, flipping through it quickly, before setting it down beside her. I smiled at her eagerness to push work aside.  
  
"So," she said. "How much did you miss me today?" She smiled, but I hesitated, sensing the insecurity beneath the humor. She was one of the strongest people I had ever known, and yet, beneath that façade, she needed to know, just like everyone else in the world, that she was loved—that somebody cared about her.   
  
I wrapped an arm around her shoulder, looking over at her seriously. "So much it hurt," I replied. "I love you, Syd." She smiled, genuinely this time.  
  
"Good," she said, obviously satisfied. We sat in silence for several minutes. I glanced over at her, surprised to see her face fall as she glanced at the folder sitting beside her.  
  
"What's the matter?" I asked.  
  
"I don't want to go, Michael," she said, focusing her eyes on her lap. "I'm tired of all this." She gestured to our surroundings. "I'm tired of switching documents and lying, and hurting people." She shook her head, and my heart broke as I saw a single tear roll down her cheek.  
  
"I know," I said, pulling her into my arms, my hand stroking her hair as she burrowed into my embrace. She was reaching her breaking point. And who could blame her? She'd been through more in two years than most people go through in two lifetimes.  
  
I held her to me, my brow wrinkling in concern, wanting nothing more than to be able to take her pain away, to relieve her of the burden of all she had been through. We sat in silence for a long time, and an idea gradually began to form in my mind.  
  
I stroked her shoulder, gently moving her back so I could look into her eyes. Her tears had dried, but her eyes were still slightly red. I smiled softly at her. "Tell you what," I said, reaching up to push a stray clump of hair away from her eyes. "When you get back, I'll have a surprise waiting for you." She looked at me, frowning for a moment.  
  
"What kind of surprise?" She asked, the light slowly returning to her eyes as her curiosity got the better of her.   
  
"A good one," I replied, grinning. She sniffed, the beginnings of a smile showing at the corners of her mouth.  
  
"Ok." She replied softly.  
  
"This will all be over someday, Syd." She nodded.  
  
"I know. I'm just-" she hesitated before continuing. "I'm just glad that, even though most of my life sucks, at least I have you." She glanced up at me, blushing slightly.  
  
"Believe me, Sydney. The feeling's mutual." She smiled, slowly rising from the crate, her folder in hand.   
  
"I'd better get going," she said reluctantly, grabbing my hand and giving it a tug. I rose from the crate to stand in front of her.   
  
"Yeah," I said, realizing that we had been there for almost 45 minutes.   
  
"See you in four days," she said. I reached for her, pulling her into another embrace—one that would have to hold me until she returned.   
  
"Please be careful, Syd." I said, realizing suddenly how much I didn't want her to go, and dreading the sleepless nights to come.   
  
She squeezed me tightly in response. "I will." She pulled away, kissing me softly before turning away and heading towards the exit.  
  
I watched her until she disappeared out the door, before turning away and staring at my feet, already missing her more than I could imagine.  
Well, there ya go... I still don't know if I like this or not. Hmmmm. Well, review, pleeeze! 


	3. Worry

Hey everyone. Here's chapter 3. I'm glad to see that everybody likes it so far. I was iffy about it in the beginning, but I'm getting some ideas now. Yay :) Thanks for all the nice reviews! Keep them coming!   
  
Worry  
  
The last four days had been the longest of my life. Sure, Sydney had been gone longer in the past, and she had definitely been involved with more dangerous missions, but things were different now. I had so much more to lose.   
  
Of course, Sydney had always meant a lot to me, even before we told each other our real feelings. I would have been devastated to lose her as a colleague, as a friend, and, most importantly, as the focus of my own unrequited love. But now, that love was definitely reciprocated, and I cherished it more than ever.  
  
Sydney was my life. She had been since she had walked into CIA headquarters with pink hair and a swollen mouth. It was my job to protect her, to guide her. But over the past months, it had become so much more than a job.   
  
If she wasn't safe, I would lose her.  
  
And if I lost her, I would lose myself. She was all that mattered to me.  
  
I had been sitting by the phone for hours now, waiting for the call that would tell me she was home safe, that would let me finally relax. I had slept about two hours while she was gone, plagued by the same insomnia that showed up every time she went away. I could feel the fatigue beginning to catch up with me, felt the inevitable headache building behind my temples.   
  
I knew her mission was simple—simple for her anyways. A simple smash and grab—that's what she would call it. But it didn't keep me from worrying about her. I wanted her out of this life.  
  
I glanced at the clock on my bedside table. 7:38. Her flight was scheduled to get in at 6:43. It wasn't that late, but I still found myself becoming increasingly unsettled. I rose from my bed, pacing from one end of the room to the other, watching the minutes fly by. By 8:45, panic was beginning to build in my chest. I had just decided to head to the airport when the phone rang.  
  
I lunged for it, slamming my hand against my headboard as I went. I winced at the sharp pain that shot through my arm. That would definitely leave a bruise. I answered the phone on the second ring, my voice strained from the pain and from worry.  
  
"Vaughn," I said sharply.  
  
"Hey, so a dog walks into a bar…" I scowled as I heard Weiss on the other end of the line.  
  
"Where's Sydney?" I asked abruptly. I wasn't in the mood for his jokes at the moment, although I felt slightly better, since I knew he wouldn't be telling jokes if something really serious had happened.  
  
"Her plane just landed," Weiss replied, wisely forgetting about the joke as he picked up on the anxiousness in my voice. "Her flight was delayed in Switzerland. They had some snow there, so they grounded flights for an hour or so."   
  
At Weiss' words, I let out a breath I hadn't even known I was holding.   
  
"She's fine, man," he said, finally realizing how worried I had been. "Sorry. I should have called you earlier. We didn't get word on the flight until about half an hour ago.  
  
"Don't worry about it. I was just beginning to get a little concerned," I lied. Concerned wasn't exactly the right word.   
  
Panicked.   
  
Frantic.   
  
Crazy out of my mind worried. Those were a little closer.  
  
"Right," Weiss said, seeing right through my lie. I took a deep breath, relief flowing over me in a wave. I was suddenly exhausted, and I collapsed backwards onto my unmade bed.  
  
"When am I meeting with her?" I asked, knowing I would need to pick up some files from her as soon as possible.   
  
"10:15," Weiss replied. "The call's already been made."  
  
"Thanks Weiss," I replied, closing my eyes and rubbing my temple with my free hand. I'd be needing about five Aspirins to get rid of the headache I was going to have later on tonight.  
  
"Get some rest, buddy," Weiss said, chuckling. He knew me too well.  
  
"I will. Thanks. See you tomorrow."  
  
"See ya." I turned the phone off, rolling over to check the time. I had about forty minutes until I would have to leave to meet Sydney.   
  
With a great deal of effort, I dragged myself from my bed and into the bathroom. I slashed some water on my face, trying to wake myself up a little before I left. I looked at myself in the mirror, disgusted at the circles under my eyes. I sighed. Oh well. No one would understand being exhausted better than Sydney. How she got past the constant jet-lag I would never know.  
  
I headed back out to my living room, grabbing a small envelope from my kitchen counter, smiling to myself as I imagined Sydney's reaction to my surprise. I had actually been planning it since the second week of our vacation, knowing that she would probably be a little depressed at work. And it was about the only thing I could do to cheer her up, considering I couldn't single-handedly take down SD-6. Thought I would if I could.  
  
Glancing around the room one final time, I patted Donovan on the head before heading out to my car.  
Review review review... :) Thanks! Perhaps I will reveal the secret surprise in the next chapter....... 


	4. Surprise

Well, here's chapter 4. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Not sure why... but I really enjoyed it. Hope you all like it too. I was trying to make it all serious... like I said I was going to, but it all ends up coming out fluffy. Eh well. What can you do. Read and review!  
Surprise  
I reached the warehouse later than I had expected, and as I rushed into the building, I saw Sydney sitting on a crate, swinging her leg back and forth. She beamed at me as I made my entrance, and I could tell from the look in her eyes that the mission had been successful.   
  
As I saw her smile, I realized again how much I had missed her, how worried I had been, and I was overwhelmed by the need to hold her. Without a word, I grabbed her arm gently, pulling her up and into my embrace. I squeezed her tightly, just needing to touch her.  
  
She chuckled into my shoulder.   
  
"Happy to see me, Vaughn?" She asked, and I could feel her grinning.   
  
"I was worried," I said. "Your flight was late and I thought something had happened. She nodded into my shoulder.  
  
"I know," she replied, pulling away from me slightly. "But I'm here. I'm okay." She smiled again, and my heart melted. I reached out to lay my hand against her cheek, running it down her neck and over her shoulder, just to reassure myself that she was actually there.   
  
She inhaled sharply as my hand reached her shoulder, and I hesitated. I looked into her eyes, surprised to see that they were watering.  
  
"What?" I asked, concerned at the sudden change. "What's the matter?" She shook her head.   
  
"Nothing… I'm just getting a little bruise. Some guy knocked me on the shoulder after I switched the documents. It's just a little sore"   
  
"Oh God… I'm sorry," I apologized, feeling guilty for causing her pain. "Let me look," I said, reaching back towards her arm.  
  
"Vaughn… it's nothing. Really." She backed away, her eyes focused on the floor.   
  
"If it's nothing, then you won't mind me looking, just to be sure." I said, calling her bluff.  
  
"Fine." She sighed, exasperated, turning her back to me. I reached up to her shirt, pulling it to the side. As my eyes fell on her bruised skin, I couldn't help but let out a shocked gasp.  
  
"Syd," I said, biting back the anger in my voice. "This is far from nothing." Her skin was a deep black and blue, from the bottom of her right shoulder blade, over the top of her shoulder, and into the hollow of her clavicle. I traced the bruise gently with my fingers, not completely unaware of the goose bumps that rose on her skin at the contact.   
  
"It's not as bad as it looks," she muttered, embarrassed. "It's just ugly."   
  
I sensed the self-consciousness in her voice, and gently placed a light kiss on her shoulder. "Nothing about you could ever be ugly," I whispered, before pushing her shirt back over her shoulder. "You need to see a doctor."   
  
She immediately shook her head. "Vaughn, I don't need-"   
  
"Sydney, you could have a broken bone." She shook her head again.   
  
"No, it's not broken. I know what that feels like." I paused, my heart contracting at those words, knowing how true they were.  
  
"Still," I continued. "That guy did a lot more than hit you." I paused, thinking of what I would do to him for hurting Sydney if he were standing here right now. It wouldn't be pretty. "You can tell me," I said, gently running my hand over her cheek. She sighed.  
  
"Ok," she admitted, realizing I wasn't going to let this go. "He hit me a couple times." She hesitated. "More than a couple times. He had me tied up for awhile…" her voice faded, recalling something unpleasant, and the tears returned to her eyes. "It hurt," she said softly, and my heart shattered into a million pieces at those two simple words.   
  
Silently, I pulled her to me, wrapping my arms around her back. Sydney was a lot of things, but a complainer was not one of them. If she said something hurt, it hurt. And it hurt a lot.  
  
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, my lips pressed against her hair. "I wish I had been there… I should have been there." She shook her head, still wrapped in my embrace.   
  
"It's not your fault," she said softly, pulling away slightly so she could look into my eyes. "I know you would never do anything to hurt me. And besides-" she continued, smiling wryly at me. "I've had worse."   
  
I would have laughed at the humor in her voice, but, again, I knew the truth of her words. I nodded, not knowing how to reply. Instead, I leaned my head down, brushing my lips lightly across hers, feeling her own lips tremble beneath mine as she pushed back tears.  
  
"I missed you," she said seriously.  
  
"Me too." I kissed her again, feeling her begin to relax in my arms. I grinned. "Weiss could tell that I missed you."   
  
Sydney laughed at this. "He could?"  
  
"Yeah. He told me to get some sleep when he called me tonight--gave me a hard time about it."  
  
"You couldn't sleep again?" She asked, frowning.  
  
"Not even a little," I replied softly.  
  
"Sorry," she said.  
  
"Don't be," I replied.   
  
Sydney smiled, running a finger over the dark circles beneath my eyes. "You look like Hell," she said bluntly. I laughed.  
  
"Thanks," I replied, feigning annoyance.  
  
"It's ok," she continued. "I look like Hell, too."   
  
I shook my head at her words, reaching up to brush a stray hair away from her face. "You look beautiful."  
  
She looked at me skeptically, obviously thinking otherwise, but I sent her a look that left no room for argument. Smiling, she leaned into me, until her lips were only inches from mine.  
  
"You promised me a surprise," she whispered, before claiming my lips.  
  
"I did?" I asked. She nodded, kissing me again. "I don't remember anything about a surprise." I said, playing dumb. She pulled away, measuring the look in my eyes.  
  
"You're lying," she said. I grinned down at her. Never try to outsmart a spy. I reached into my pocket, pulling out a white envelope. Sydney took it from me, glancing at me suspiciously before opening it. "Vaughn, what is this?" She pulled out a slip of paper, skimming over it.  
  
"A reservation. I was out a couple weeks ago and saw an advertisement for this resort. It's by the ocean. They have a spa and everything. I thought you could use a break. It's only for the weekend…" I rambled nervously. She continued to stare at the slip of paper. "Do you like it?" I asked, concerned at her silence.  
  
"I love it," she said softly. Tearing her gaze away from the slip of paper, she looked up at me smiling brilliantly. "There's just one thing."  
  
I hesitated, concerned. "What?"  
  
"I wish you could go with me." I nodded.  
  
"I know. I wish I could, too. Just think of me when you get that well-deserved massage." She laughed.  
  
"I will." She glanced at her watch.  
  
"Need to go?" I asked. She sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Francie will be getting worried." She moved towards me, wrapping her arms around my neck, and brushing her lips against mine. "Thank you for this, Michael."  
  
"Good surprise?" I asked, grinning down at her.  
  
"Definitely." She smiled at me as she left. After I heard the echo of the warehouse door shutting behind her, I grinned to myself.   
  
The weekend was only half the surprise.  
More surprises... yay! I wonder what it will be? Review, please! P.S. Who else loved the whole S/V pillowtalk scene in last night's ep? I DID. I think that Syd and Vaughn should have a big Spy Wedding, lots of Spy Nookie, and have some Spy Children. AWWWW :) Happy thoughts.   
  
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	5. Room Service

Here's chapter 5. I hope that I wrote Syd and Vaughn at least kind of in character. It's hard, because until recently, they haven't had much opportunity to do fluffy types of activities. If I were in charge of the world, though, that's all they'd be doing. Plus... a whole lotta spy nookie. So this may be in character, or maybe not. Either way. Fluff, fluff, and more fluff. I think a lot of you guessed the second part of the surprise, but that's ok :) Read and review, please!  
  
Room Service  
  
The resort was beautiful. Definitely better than it had looked in the brochure. I was a little relieved, since I had never been there myself, and I definitely didn't want to send Sydney to a dump. But, as I surveyed my surroundings, I decided that I couldn't have made a better choice. I had set Sydney up with a small, one-room cabin, set away from the others for privacy. I smiled, imagining how her face would light up when she opened the curtains in her bedroom to an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean.   
  
I had arrived about an hour after Sydney got there. The management had agreed to give me a few special privileges for the next couple days. It's amazing what people will do with a little flattery and a flash of my CIA credentials.  
  
I picked up my cell phone, calling Syd's number. I knew that she always carried the phone I had given to her, except on missions, when it wasn't practical or safe. The phone rang several times, and I could just see her digging through her luggage to find it. I smiled when, finally, I heard her voice on the other end of the line.  
  
"Hey, Michael," she said, slightly breathless. "I couldn't find my phone." I chuckled. I knew her too well.  
  
"Hey," I replied. "How's the resort?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound too smug. I knew she would be happy that I was here. She had said as much earlier that day. Still, I wanted to keep my secret for a few more minutes.  
  
"This is so amazing!" She replied, and I could hear the happiness in her voice. "You should see the view from the bedroom."   
  
"I thought you'd like that." I grinned at her excitement as I started walking along the trail that lead to her cabin, carrying several bags with me.   
  
"I love it!" I could hear her moving around the cabin, inspecting her surroundings. "There's even a porch, so I can sit outside and watch the sunset."  
  
"I'm glad you like it. You deserve to relax, Syd," I said, smiling at her enthusiasm. She sounded like a little kid on Christmas morning.   
  
"I still wish you were here," she said, her voice becoming slightly sad.   
  
"Me too," I said, trying to sound as unhappy as she did. I grinned to myself as I reached the front door of her cabin, holding back a laugh. "But I got you the next best thing," I said. She paused.  
  
"What?" She asked suspiciously.  
  
"Room service." I smiled, shifting my bags to my other hand. I could almost hear her smile on the other end of the line.  
  
"Well, it's hardly a replacement for you..." She chuckled. "You didn't have to do that," she said.  
  
"I wanted to." I replied.  
  
"You're making me feel guilty. I haven't done anything like this for you."   
  
"Sydney," I said, my voice turning serious. "You've done more for me than I could ever tell you. Don't forget that." There was silence on the other end of the line. "You still there, Syd?" I asked.  
  
"I love you, Michael," she said softly.  
  
"I know. I love you too." I was tempted to forget about the surprise, bust through her door, and hug her right then, but luckily, she interrupted me before I could act on those thoughts.  
  
"So when can I expect this room service you were telling me about?" She asked, laughter in her voice. "I'm starving."   
  
"Well," I said, glancing at my watch and pretending to consider her question. "It should be getting there right…about…now." I reached up to cover the mouthpiece of my phone, and knocked on her door.  
  
"Vaughn…" she said suspiciously on the other end of the line. "Did you have this whole thing planned out to the second or something?" I chuckled, waiting by the door as I heard her footsteps approaching from inside the cabin.  
  
"I guess you could say that," I replied.  
  
"You're sweet," she said, and I saw the doorknob begin to turn. Without another word, I turned off my phone.  
  
"Vaughn? You there?" I heard Sydney's confused voice as she opened the door.   
  
"I think he got disconnected," I said. Her head shot up, her eyes landing on me. She blinked, taken completely off-guard.  
  
"Surprised?" I asked, grinning.  
  
"Oh my God…" she said softly. I held up the bags I was carrying.   
  
"Room service-" I began, but before I could finish my sentence, she was moving towards me, her lips crashing into mine, her hands moving to my face. I dropped the bags, running my hand lightly up her arm, my fingers finally coming to rest at the base of her neck, absently running through her hair. Eventually, we ran out of oxygen, and Sydney pulled away from me slightly.  
  
"I can't believe that you're here," she whispered, her brown eyes sparkling. I chuckled, continuing to stroke her hair.   
  
"I missed you," I replied.  
  
"You saw me four hours ago." She replied.  
  
"I know. And I missed you." I repeated.   
  
"Yeah," she nodded. "I missed you too." She grinned, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me into the cabin. "Well, come in," she said, the excitement returning to her voice. "You've got to see this view. It's incredible." I followed her to the bedroom window, and she pulled back the curtains. "Isn't it amazing?" She asked, staring through the glass at the ocean below. I watched her, overwhelmed suddenly by how much I loved her.  
  
"Yeah," I replied, continuing to watch her. "It's amazing." She turned to look at me, and blushed when she realized that I wasn't talking about the view at all. She reached forward, brushing her lips against mine, before pulling back and smiling.   
  
"I seem to recall something about room service," she said. I nodded in reply, momentarily at a loss for words. Clearing my throat, I grabbed her hand.  
  
"Let's eat."   
Well, there ya go. I hope that wasn't lame... or at least not too lame :) So...... Syd and Vaughn are at a cabin together. With one room... and a romantic view. Huh. Whatever will they do to pass the time? Perhaps a litte spynookie? Maybe. Maybe not. I'm just not sure. I'm willing to bet on one thing though. There will definately be more fluffiness. That is a totally, 100%, sealed with a kiss guarantee. ;) And on a final note, I'm already on Alias withdrawl... and it's only been a couple days. How will I ever make it two weeks? Sigh. Please review?   
  
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	6. The Message

Wow. I feel soooo guilty for not updating in such a long time. GEEZ. I kind of got writers block for awhile there. But it's ok now! Anyways. Here is the next chapter. Hopefully you all will like it, and forgive me for not updating in such a long time. Also, I went back to the previous chapters and changed a few minor issues--typos, etc... so feel free to re-read, and of course, re-review!! Let me know what you think!  
The Message  
  
Several hours later, we sat at the base of the bed in Sydney's cabin, paper plates balanced on our laps as we watched the sun slowly set through the window.  
  
Sydney had insisted on the makeshift picnic, not wanting to miss the sun as it slipped below the horizon. I, not one to willingly deny Sydney Bristow of anything, agreed, and we threw a blanket down at the foot of her bed.   
  
As the sun disappeared and the room grew darker, Sydney turned to me, her face serious.  
  
"Vaughn?" She asked softly. I nodded, prompting her to continue as I took a sip of wine. "Do you ever wish that you hadn't met me?" Her question took me off guard, and I coughed as I inhaled some of my wine.  
  
"What?" I asked her, my voice incredulous.  
  
"Do you ever wish you hadn't met me?" She repeated, her eyes darting away from mine.  
  
"Why the Hell would you think that?" I asked, completely confused by the change in her mood. She shrugged.  
  
"I was just thinking. About how complicated your life has gotten since I joined the CIA—how complicated it's become because of me." She paused. "If I hadn't shown up—"  
  
"Stop." I said bluntly, cutting her off mid-sentence, not wanting to hear any more. "Sydney, don't say it. Don't even think it." She closed her mouth, glancing at me and blushing. "You are the strongest, bravest, most amazing person I've ever known. I love you so much." Her gaze shifted away from me, but I reached out, directing her face back towards mine. "The only thing I wish, that I've wished for a long time, is that I had met you years ago."  
  
"Yeah?" She asked softly.  
  
"Yeah." I smiled at her. "My life is complicated. I can't argue that. But when I met you, and as I got to know you, I realized that I wanted to work with you. I wanted to be around you, for reasons that are pretty obvious. I loved you then, though it took me awhile to realize it. And I love you now. I don't give a damn how complicated things are. As long as I can be with you."  
  
Sydney bowed her head, obviously trying to hide her tears. I reached over, pulling her closer, to where she could her lean back against my chest. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Syd," I whispered, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.   
  
She shuddered, holding back a sob, and I turned her to face me, wiping away her tears with my thumb.   
  
"Thank you." She whispered. "Sometimes I just—" She hesitated. "Sometimes I just need to be reminded that it's not my fault. That I'm not the reason so many of the people in my life get hurt." Her voice hitched, and she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath.  
  
"Syd," I replied, smiling. "You don't have a bad bone in your body. Don't ever blame yourself for any of this. SD-6. Sloane. They're the ones who should pay for what they've done. They're the guilty ones here. You need to accept that."  
  
She smiled slightly. "I have," she said. "It's just hard sometimes."   
  
I nodded, intertwining her fingers with mine.   
  
"I'm glad you're here," she said, looking up at me. I smiled, noticing that the sparkle in her eyes had returned.   
  
"Me too," I grinned. "What do you want to do now?" I asked, glancing around the room. "It's too early to go to bed."  
  
Sydney raised an eyebrow at my statement. "Is it?" She asked. I returned her look with one of my own.   
  
"Maybe not," I replied, my voice growing softer as the smile on her face grew wider. I slowly began leaning towards her.  
  
"It is getting dark out," Sydney whispered, grinning.  
  
"And some people do go to bed before eight…" my voice trailed off as my lips met hers, our soft kiss slowly growing in intensity. I pulled away from her, grasping her hand in mine as I stood up. She followed suit, moving back towards me quickly as we rose.  
  
Her lips met mine again, as she trailed her hand up and under my shirt, her fingers brushing lightly over the muscles of my stomach. I shuddered, feeling myself becoming lightheaded—intoxicated by her presence.   
  
I pulled away again, gazing at her face, which had become slightly flushed. I trailed my finger along her clavicle, smiling as she shivered at the contact.  
  
"I love you so much," I whispered, the words still sounding new as I said them.   
  
She grinned, pulling me back to her as she backed towards the bed. "I love you too," she said, brushing her lips against mine.  
  
Just as the backs of her legs hit the end of the bed, we were interrupted by an annoying beeping. We pulled apart, both glancing in the general direction of her suitcase. Sydney rolled her eyes.  
  
"I'd better check," she sighed. I nodded, watching her as she rummaged through her suitcase. I could sense the change in her mood as soon as she found her beeper.  
  
"Bad news?" I asked, moving up behind her. She nodded, her shoulders slumped slightly.  
  
"Sloane. It's a 911."  
Hope you all liked this chapter. Vaughn's such a sweetie. To bad he's not 15 years younger, and not betrothed to Sydney, because I'd be all over him heehee. But I will be gracious, and let Syd have him :) Review please!! 


	7. Gone

Ok. So I know what you all are thinking. Where the HECK has Sarah been, and why hasn't she updated in like FOREVER. Well, I have no good excuse. It was a combination of writer's block, and a severe lack of time. So I apologize, I really do. I hope that this chapter will make up for it. Also, I would suggest going back and reading the last one or two chapters of this story, just so you remember what's going on. Because even I forgot what I had written. Anyways, I hope you all like this chapter... please read and review! Oh, and there's a rather unpleasant swear word, so maybe rate this PG-13+. Just to be safe. Enjoy!  
  
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Chapter 7: Gone  
  
Sydney had been gone for ten days, another mission for Sloane. As soon as she had gotten back from the resort, Sloane had given her a plane ticket to Bangladesh. There hadn't been time to give a countermission in person, and I had been forced to brief her over the phone. Our conversation had been short, and we finished just as she stepped onto the plane.  
  
I hadn't gotten the chance to tell her I loved her, to remind her to be careful. Of course, she knew both of these things well, but I had wanted to tell her. If not for her peace of mind, then for my own.  
  
I sighed, pushing back the anxiety that always showed up when she was away. I had a bad feeling about this mission—I had since the moment Sloane had beeped Sydney at the resort. It had all been so sudden—so rushed. She hadn't been as prepared for the countermission as she would like to have been. I could hear it in the tenseness of her voice over the phone.  
  
I knew she would be fine. She always was. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.  
  
I glanced impatiently at my watch, then at the clock mounted on the far wall of CIA headquarters. Sydney was due to check in around 8pm. Still a couple hours to go. I had stuck around late that night, hoping she would show up earlier than expected, but that obviously wasn't going to happen.  
  
Finally, I decided to head home. It wasn't like I was getting anything done, anyways.  
  
I caught Weiss's eye across the room, gesturing that I was leaving. He nodded and began to rise from his chair, but stopped as his phone began to ring. He rolled his eyes at me, and waved goodbye before reaching down and grabbing the phone before it rang again.  
  
I quickly threw a stack of papers into my briefcase, knowing that I would need some serious reading material tonight to keep my mind off of Sydney. Grabbing my car keys, I headed down the hallway to the exit.  
  
As I opened the door to the parking garage, I heard footsteps approaching behind me.  
  
"Vaughn! Hold up!" I recognized Weiss's voice, and turned to see him running up to me.  
  
"What's up, Eric?" I asked, slightly confused at the expression on his face.  
  
"I just got off the phone," he said, pausing to catch his breath. "You might not want to leave just yet."  
  
"What? Why?" I looked at him suspiciously. Weiss was more than well-known for his practical jokes around the office, and I was all too familiar with the results of those jokes. He had embarrassed me more times than I liked admit.  
  
"Listen, man. I need you to stay calm, ok?" Weiss continued, his face serious.  
  
I laughed. "Eric, if this is another one of your jokes-" Weiss cut me off.  
  
"It's Sydney, Mike."   
  
I froze mid-sentence at his words, my body going cold.  
  
"What?" I asked, my voice suddenly flat. Weiss hesitated, and his silence made me suddenly angry. "Damnit, Weiss!" I snapped. "What the Hell is going on?"  
  
"She's in a hospital in Bangladesh." Weiss replied quietly.  
  
"What happened to her?" I asked, deliberately trying to push back my anger. "Did she get caught?" Weiss shook his head, still hesitant. "Tell me, Weiss," I said, trying to remain calm.  
  
"She was shot, Mike." My jaw tensed as I fought off a wave of rising fear.   
  
"Is it bad?" I asked softly, afraid to hear the answer. Weiss nodded, and I felt suddenly sick.  
  
"She's alive-" Weiss looked away. "But she's in a coma.  
  
I paused, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, before turning away from him.   
  
"Mike-" Weiss said behind me.  
  
"God." I whispered, fighting off another wave of desperation. "Oh God…"  
  
"We're waiting for more information," Weiss continued, obviously not sure of what to say.  
  
"I have to be there…" I whispered, more to myself than to the man behind me. I opened the door and headed out to my car. Weiss was right behind me.  
  
"What?" He asked, rushing to keep up as I practically ran to my car.  
  
"I have to be there," I repeated, shoving the key into the door. I jerked as Weiss's hand landed on my shoulder, turning me to face him.  
  
"You can't do that," he said. "Kendall will never allow it." I glared back at him.  
  
"I don't care about fucking Kendall," I shouted. "This is Sydney! My Sydney. And I have to be there for her." I paused, my anger fading slightly. "I'm going to Bangladesh," I said firmly.  
  
Weiss looked at me for several moments before nodding.  
  
"Ok," he said finally, as I lowered myself into my car. "Be careful. Sloane's people will still be hanging around."  
  
I nodded.  
  
"And Mike," Weiss said, just before I shut my car door. "She'll be all right."  
  
I hesitated, staring at the steering wheel in front of me. "I hope to God you're right."   
  
I didn't know what I would do without her.  
  
* * * * *  
  
So... a bit of a cliffhanger there... Sydney's in a coma... Vaughn is NOT TOO HAPPY about Sydney being in a coma. HMMM. And it's off to Bangladesh we go! Please read and review. The more reviews I get, the more inclined I'll be to write faster... keep that in mind. Just a suggestion :) 


	8. Asleep

So this story got pretty serious, all of a sudden, huh? I must be in a serious mood. Anyways... here's chapter 8. Hope you like. And just a warning, I know nothing about Bangladesh, or hospitals, or people in a coma, so most of the details below are pretty much uneducated guesses. But I tried, and that's what counts, right? Right. Read and review! Thanks!!  
  
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Chapter 8: Asleep  
  
I arrived at the hospital in Barisal, Bangladesh almost 16 hours later, the jet lag already beginning to catch up with me. I hadn't been able to sleep on the plane for obvious reasons, and given the fact that I had only slept about 12 hours or so while Sydney had been away, I wasn't doing very well.  
  
I approached the reception desk in the lobby of the hospital, asking for Sydney Bristow's room.  
  
Luckily, Weiss had managed to arrange a cover for me after I'd left him at CIA headquarters. I was now Michael Bristow, a distant but concerned relative of Sydney's.  
  
The nurse provided me with a visitor's pass and directions to Sydney's room. I nodded my thanks before heading to the elevator.  
  
The elevator doors shut in front of me, and I ran a hand through my hair, groaning, and rubbing my stinging red eyes briefly.  
  
I had just gotten off the phone with Weiss, who had informed me that there had been no change in Sydney's condition. Her vitals were stable, but she just wouldn't wake up. I chuckled despite myself. She was stubborn, even in a coma.  
  
The bullet had grazed the side of her head, causing swelling in her brain. The doctors had stopped the bleeding and relieved the pressure that had built up in her skull. But the swelling had to go down on its own or it was possible that she might not wake up.   
  
Ever.  
  
She had to wake up.  
  
I closed my eyes tightly, slowly inhaling in an attempt to control the panic—the helplessness that was building up in my chest.  
  
If she had been captured, I could have helped.  
  
If we had lost contact with her, I could have done something.  
  
But she was hurt, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do except be there with her, and pray to God she would wake up.  
  
The elevator ground to a halt, and the doors opened with a metallic screech. I walked down the deserted hallway to room 528. I paused at the door, breathing deeply in an attempt to mentally prepare myself for what lay behind it.  
  
I had to be strong for her.  
  
I opened the door, immediately confronted with the usual hospital room equipment—heart monitors, IV bags. My eyes fell on Sydney's form. Lying on the hospital bed, the only movement the slow rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.  
  
I was relieved, at least, to see that she was breathing on her own. A thin tube ran from a needle in her wrist up to an IV bag hanging on a hook beside the bed.   
  
She looked like she was sleeping.  
  
I silently pulled a chair up to the side of her bed, sat down, and reached for her hand, squeezing it gently.  
  
"Sydney?" I said softly, my voice rough. "It's Michael." I reached up, smoothing down the hair on her bandaged forehead. "I'm here for you, sweetie," I whispered softly. "I'm here."  
  
And before I knew it, the tears were falling. I lay my head down on the bed, muffling a sob. "Wake up, Syd." I said, my head resting next to her hand. "Please."  
  
Eventually, my silent tears ceased, and exhaustion overcame me. As I lay beside Sydney's unmoving form, darkness finally claimed me.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Well, hope you guys liked it. It even made me a bit weepy... and I knew what was going to happen, cuz I wrote it :) Anyways, hopefully I'll keep the chapters coming a little more rapidly. It helps when work is so slow that there's nothing for me to do BUT write fanfics :) Yippee! Can't complain there. As always, review review review!  
  
And, if you're bored, go back and read my first Alias fic, Two Weeks! And, of course, review it again! 


	9. Faith

Hello hello! Another update! YAY :) Want to know whether Syd will live or die? Read on! Hope you like this. I can't decide if I do or not. Hmmmmmm. Well, read and review! Thanks for all the nice reviews you've sent in the last couple days. They're much appreciated!!   
  
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Chapter 9: Faith  
  
I woke up to the sound of movement in the room. Momentarily disoriented, I lifted my head up, groaning at the sharp pain that shot through my neck at the sudden movement.  
  
My eyes fell immediately on Sydney, and the events of the past several days came rushing back to me. I sat up in my chair, stretching, and noticed suddenly that Sydney and I were not alone in the hospital room. A short woman, dressed in sterile-looking green scrubs, was moving around the room quietly. As she turned back to Sydney, she noticed that I was awake, and smiled warmly.  
  
"Good morning," she said, in slightly accented English.  
  
I nodded at her, preoccupied by Sydney's pale form, still lying motionless beside me.  
  
"Is she going to be ok?" I asked, shaking my head in an attempt to clear it. The woman continued smiling at me, her eyes softening at the worry that came through in my voice.  
  
"I'm sorry," she replied softly. "I don't know. I just came in to take her blood pressure." I remained silent, my gaze returning to Sydney, wishing that there was something—anything that I could do. I reached out, taking her limp hand in mine again, in a vain attempt to transfer some of my strength to her body.  
  
I jumped as a hand rested softly on my shoulder. I turned, my eyes falling on the nurse, who continued to smile softly.  
  
"Never lose faith," she said, her eyes connecting with mine. "Love will give strength to both of you."  
  
I again fought back tears as I weakly returned her smile.  
  
"Thank you." I said, my voice barely a whisper in the silent room. She nodded and left the room without another word.  
  
I sat there in silence for several moments, my hope renewed by the woman's simple words. Sydney was a fighter—the strongest person I had ever known. If anyone could get through this, she could. I sighed, tightening my grip on her hand. Suddenly, the door opened again, and a tall, dark-haired man entered the room.  
  
I rose from my seat. "Are you the doctor?" I asked anxiously. The man nodded, extending his hand toward me.  
  
"Dr. Greggson," he said, his eyebrow rising slightly.  
  
"Is she going to be ok?" I asked. Dr. Greggson looked at me, hesitant.  
  
"May I ask who you are?" He said finally.   
  
I had to pause momentarily to remember my cover story.   
  
"Michael Bristow," I replied. "I'm Sydney's second cousin." The man nodded, obviously satisfied with my answer.  
  
"I can't tell you much," Greggson continued. "The bullet grazed her skull at the left temple, and caused some swelling in the brain. We've only had her here for a couple days, so we don't know much."  
  
I nodded, not at all satisfied. Weiss had given me the same information over the phone. Greggson could apparently sense my concern.  
  
"Mr. Bristow, if you'll give me a few minutes to examine the patient, I may be able to tell you more."   
  
"Ok," I said, feeling completely exhausted. "There's a chair in the hall." Greggson opened the door for me, and I left without argument, collapsing on a cheap plastic chair outside Sydney's room.  
  
I lowered my head to my hands, rubbing my forehead and shutting my eyes against the nausea that wouldn't seem to go away. And I waited.  
  
* * * * *  
At some point I must have drifted off, because I was snapped awake as Dr. Greggson tapped me lightly on the shoulder.   
  
"You can come back in now, Mr. Bristow," he said.  
  
I nodded, standing up dazedly and following him back into the room.  
  
"How is she?" I asked, my eyes immediately coming to rest on Sydney as the door clicked shut behind me.  
  
Dr. Greggson smiled.  
  
"I have good news," he said. "The swelling in her brain has gone down significantly since I last saw her." I continued to watch Sydney as I listened, not exactly sure what that meant. Greggson continued. "If she continues to improve as she has, I have no doubt that she'll wake up."  
  
Sudden and intense relief washed over me, and I suddenly felt dizzy. I slowly lowered myself into the chair at Sydney's bedside, unable to tear my eyes away from her.  
  
"How long?" I asked, realizing suddenly how much I missed her brown eyes, her voice, her laugh.  
  
"It's hard to say exactly," Greggson replied. "The swelling is going down quite rapidly, and if it continues at this pace, I'd say within a day or so."  
  
I closed my eyes at his words, overwhelmed by my emotions. This had been close. Too close. I could have lost her. Strangely, though the danger had passed, the panic was still there—the realization that if things had been different, if that bullet had been even a quarter of an inch farther to the left, Sydney Bristow would no longer exist.  
  
I shuddered at the thought.  
  
Greggson had detected my distress and moved to stand beside me.   
  
"She's going to be fine, Mr. Bristow," he said. "I suggest that you get some rest. There's a free bed in the room down the hall, if you'd like-"  
  
I jerked my head up. "I'm not leaving her!" I paused after the outburst, shocked by the defensiveness in my voice. Greggson also seemed surprised—he was probably wondering why a second cousin felt so strongly about this woman. He looked at me, slightly suspicious, before continuing.  
  
"I understand," he said. "I'll have a cot brought in." I nodded my thanks to him, and within moments, he had returned with a portable cot. "Get some rest, Mr. Bristow." Greggson stated. "You need it."  
  
"I will," I said, the bed already beckoning me. I could barely move—barely think straight I was so tired. "Thank you," I said, offering a weak smile that didn't even come close to expressing my gratitude to the doctor.  
  
"It was nothing," he replied, smiling before leaving me alone in the dimly lit hospital room.  
  
I rose from my chair, leaning down to kiss Sydney gently on the forehead.  
  
"You're going to be ok, Syd," I whispered, brushing my hand against her cheek.  
  
I stepped away, lowering myself onto the cot. Turning on my side, I watched Sydney, feeling an irrational need to guard her, to protect her.   
  
"I love you," I said softly, hoping that somehow she could hear my words and gain strength from them.   
  
My eyes slowly drifted shut, and within moments I was fast asleep.  
  
* * * * *   
Whew. Big sigh of relief. No death. No despair. No sadness. And to be honest, I'm quite a happy person, so you guys probably don't have much to worry about with my stories. They will NOT end sadly. And, more likely than not, they WILL end with some form of SpyLove/SpyNookie :) Because SpyLove/SpyNookie just makes me giggly and warm all over. Read and review pleeeeeaase!!! 


	10. Awakening

Hey y'all! Here's chapter ten. Fluffiness ensues. And perhaps a bit of plot. GASP. Read, enjoy, and review!  
  
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Chapter 10: Awakening  
  
"Vaughn?"  
  
I moaned in my sleep, still plagued by a nagging headache, and ignored the soft voice in my mind as I rolled over, pulling the hospital pillow over my head. I was still so tired…it seemed like I'd just gotten to sleep a few seconds ago.  
  
Just as I was about to slip back into oblivion, the voice returned, more forceful this time.  
  
"Vaughn…"  
  
Something about the voice roused me from my state of half-sleep, forcing me to open my eyes. I winced, squinting against the faint light in the room.   
  
"Son of a bitch," I muttered to myself as I pushed myself up, gritting my teeth against the pain in my neck and back that had only gotten worse overnight.  
  
I probably would have been better off sleeping on the floor, I thought. The cot Dr. Greggson had provided was about the most uncomfortable thing I'd ever slept on in my life.  
  
Shaking off the fogginess of sleep, I slowly scanned the room, wondering if the voice that had wakened me was nothing more than a dream.  
  
My eyes came to rest on Sydney, and my breath caught in my chest as I realized that her sparkling brown eyes were staring right back at me.  
  
Those eyes.  
  
I hadn't realized how much I'd missed them.  
  
Sydney grinned at me, probably amused by the look of shock plastered on my face.  
  
"You are definitely not a morning person," she said softly, her voice rough and scratchy, probably because she hadn't used it for so long.  
  
"Syd?" I whispered, not quite convinced that she was actually there, awake and talking to me. "Oh God…" I said, rising and rushing to her bed. I lowered myself to my knees, bringing myself level with her eyes. I reached out hesitantly, cupping her cheek in my hand, almost afraid to touch her, in fear that she might disappear.  
  
"Hey," she said. I shut my eyes, blinking back tears.  
  
"Syd… I was so scared. I thought- I-" I broke off, unable to put into words the one thing I most feared.  
  
That I would lose her.  
  
"I know," she said, reaching out to take my free hand in hers. "I'm ok."  
  
I nodded, a grin spreading across my face.   
  
She was ok.  
  
She was back.  
  
And I could breathe again.  
  
We sat in silence for several long minutes, speaking with our eyes the emotions we had no way to express in words.   
  
"I missed you," she said softly, squeezing my hand weakly.  
  
"Not as much as I missed you," I replied, rising up slowly to place a soft, lingering kiss on her check, her forehead, her lips. I felt lips curve into a smile beneath mine, and I backed away slightly.  
  
"Wanna bet?" She said with a grin. I chuckled. Without releasing her hand, I moved back to the chair beside her bed. After a few moments, my face became serious.  
  
"What happened?" I asked, frowning as her brow instantly furrowed in thought.  
  
"I can't remember," she said finally. "I remember getting the disk, but after that it's all kind of a blur."  
  
I nodded, not surprised. I knew enough about injuries like hers to understand that there could be some memory loss. Luckily, in Sydney's case, that memory loss didn't seem very significant. In fact, she was probably better off not remembering how she had ended up in the hospital. It could do nothing but cause her more pain.  
  
"I do have some good news, though," she continued. I looked at her questioningly. "I managed to switch the disks and hand off the fake to Sloane." She grinned.  
  
I sighed, shaking my head. "I don't care about the countermission, Syd. All I care about is that you're-" She cut me off with a laugh.  
  
"Will you let me finish?" She asked with a smile. After she was certain I wasn't going to continue talking, she continued. "It's not just the disk. It's what's on the disk." I frowned, silently asking her to continue. "They're codes, Vaughn. Security codes. For all known Alliance cells." Her words hung in the air as we stared silently at each other. "This could be it, Vaughn," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "This could bring down SD-6 for good."  
  
I smiled, realizing several things at once. If these codes were what Sydney said, it meant that the Hell of the past two years could soon be over.  
  
It meant that Sydney could stop lying and live a normal life.  
  
And it meant that we could be together.  
  
Without a word, I moved to sit next to her on the bed, silently wrapping her in my embrace.  
  
"I love you so much," I whispered. I felt her smile against my shoulder, her arms tightening around me.  
  
"I love you too," she said. I pulled away to look at her again, sensing her exhaustion.  
  
"You should get some sleep," I said, tracing the dark circles underneath her eyes.   
  
She nodded, moving her hand to my eyes and repeating my gesture. "So should you," she said. I chuckled, rising from her bed and squeezing her hand once more before releasing it.  
  
"I will," I said, heading to the door. "But first, I'm going to find Dr. Greggson and have him check you out." I turned and opened the door.  
  
"No." I turned at Sydney's tense response, concerned.  
  
"No?" I asked, moving back to her bed. "What's the matter? Do you feel ok?"  
  
"Don't leave." She looked up at me, her eyes pleading with mine. "I want you to stay here." She paused, embarrassed. "I don't want to be alone."  
  
"You'll never be alone, Syd." She nodded. "I'll only be gone for a few minutes." She looked at me, her eyes sad. I felt my resolve quickly melting away.   
  
"But I'm cold," she said, pouting. I chuckled, amused at her obvious attempt to convince me to stay with her. And it worked.  
  
"Ok," I agreed. "But you'll have to see the doctor eventually." She smiled, satisfied. I slipped off my shoes and slid into the narrow hospital bed behind her. She sighed contentedly as she rested her back against my chest. I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her closer and taking comfort in that closeness. I smiled, placing a light kiss on the back of her neck.  
  
"Warmer?" I asked.  
  
"Mmmhmm…" she murmured, sleep already overtaking her. "Love you," she muttered softly, before her breathing steadied.  
  
"Love you too," I replied, stroking her waist, and silently vowing to myself that I would never let her be alone again.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Did you like? I hope so :) I probably won't be able to update for the next week or so... I have company coming. But I will definately keep thinking of ideas. And if any of you have suggestions, let me know, cuz I'm kind of stuck at the moment! Email me at adele1013@email.com. Read and review!! 


	11. Over

Here's chapter 11...luckily, I got a chance to update sooner than I thought. Well, I have to apologize... I'm not good at writing action stuff, so I kind of skimmed over that part in this chapter... I hope that doesn't make everybody mad :( Also, the below assumes that none of the events in Phase One really happened, although I borrowed the very very basic general idea. Not that I didn't love Phase One (BECAUSE I REALLY REALLY REALLY DID). But it just didn't fit in with the timeline/plot of my story :) Read and review! I've really appreciated the reviews I've gotten so far!!  
  
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Chapter 11: Over  
  
She couldn't go with us, and it was killing me. Sydney's doctors had insisted she stay off her feet, and no amount of arguing on her part could convince them otherwise. While she was stuck in a hospital bed, her body still weak and recovering despite her loud and opinionated protests, our team was going in to take down the organization that had made her life a living Hell.  
  
She deserved to be there.   
  
Not that I wasn't perfectly happy to take her place. I had plenty of pent-up hostility towards SD-6 and the Alliance, almost entirely for the pain that they had caused Sydney over the years. There were no words for what I wanted to do to Arvin Sloane. All I can say is that it wouldn't be pretty.  
  
I had kept my hostilities bottled up over the past years, though, for Sydney's sake. I knew that someone needed to stay detached—keep a clear head. And as hard as it was sometimes, she needed that person to be me.  
  
I was anything but detached now, though, and I realized as I tightened my bulletproof vest and fastened my gun holster to my side that it was going to feel damn good to take out my anger on Sloane, and on those who had known about SD-6's deception from the beginning.  
  
And it was going to feel even better to wrap my arms around Sydney and tell her that it was all over.  
  
I sighed nervously, feeling the adrenaline building in my body as our team tensed, waiting for the word from Kendall to begin our attack on Credit Dauphine.  
  
The majority of SD-6 employees would not fight back, we knew. Most of them were desk workers. The ones that we'd have to worry about were the field agents, and those select few who knew the truth about SD-6. The field agents would fight back, because they believed that they were defending the CIA—the country. The others would fight back to keep their dirty secret.  
  
I heard Kendall's voice in my ear, and we moved forward as one, rushing the SD-6 offices.  
  
We took out the guards first, then focused our attention on those field agents, Dixon included, who had been fast enough to react to our sudden entrance. Several agents in our team had moved immediately to Sloane's office, refusing to allow the man any chance of escape.  
  
As I crouched at the other end of the room, my gun trained at the SD-6 employees lying captive on the ground, I could see my team members press Sloane's head fiercely against his desk as they read him his rights and cuffed him. I wanted to be in there with them. So badly it hurt. I wanted to show Sloane exactly how he had hurt Sydney. I wanted him to feel that pain. And I realized suddenly that it was probably good I wasn't in that room with him.  
  
Because I would have killed him without a second thought.  
  
I shook that thought off, not exactly sure if it was true, and not wanting to find out.   
  
The raid was over more quickly than I could have imagined. Tearing my eyes away from Sloane, I watched, almost in awe, as person after person was led out of the building, hands cuffed behind their backs. It was depressing. Most of those people probably thought that they had been captured by some rogue terrorist organization. Who else would deliberately raid an office of the CIA?  
  
I frowned, realizing that the truth they would soon learn would be even harder for them to bear.  
  
They had been deceived. Their families had been lied to. Their trust had been betrayed. For the first time, I felt like I could truly understand how Sydney had felt when she found out the truth—that her life had been a lie.  
  
I stood, stretching stiff legs as the last of the SD-6 employees were led from the building. I surveyed the damage that surrounded me. My eyes fell again upon Arvin Sloane, surrounded by five agents, as he was lead out the door to a waiting vehicle.  
  
I felt my chest swell with sudden pride as I watched Sloane's retreating figure, satisfied that I had finally done something I had always wanted to do for Sydney—I had taken away the source of her pain.  
  
My eyes moved from Sloane, and I noticed Weiss approaching me from across the room, a smile plastered across his face.   
  
"Hey, man," he greeted me. I returned his smile.  
  
"It's over," I said.  
  
"Looks that way. I just got off the phone with Kendall, and all of the Alliance cells have been taken. I nodded, and we stood in silence, appreciating the moment.  
  
"How long do we need to be here?" I asked finally. Weiss grinned at me.  
  
"You're pathetic," he said, chuckling.  
  
"What?" I asked, confused at his comment.  
  
"You can't wait to see her, can you?" He replied, rolling his eyes.  
  
I blushed, knowing he was right.  
  
"She's so got you whipped, Mike," Weiss said, pretending to be disgusted. I nodded, realizing that my feelings for Sydney were—and always had been—too obvious to hide.  
  
"Yeah… she really does," I chuckled.  
  
"Go on," Weiss muttered, waving me off with his hand. "Get out of here."  
  
I hesitated. "Are you sure?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah…" Weiss grumbled. "I'll cover for you." He paused, and his voice turned serious. "Sydney deserves to know that this is over." He gestured to what remained of SD-6 headquarters.  
  
"Thanks, Eric. I owe you one." I said, heading to the door.  
  
"Yeah, yeah... you owe me more like twenty." Weiss muttered.  
  
"I'll make it up to you, buddy," I called over my shoulder. "Maybe Sydney can hook you up with Francie."  
  
Weiss visibly perked up at my words, and I chuckled as the door slammed shut behind me. I was feeling better than I had in two years.  
  
It was over.  
  
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Yippee! Ding, dong, SD-6 is gone. I'm sensing the end of this story soon... but it's still hard to tell yet... please let me know what you thought about this chapter, and if you have any ideas on what I should do next, I'm always open to hearing them. My email is adele1013@email.com. 


	12. Finally

Hi everyone. Here's the next chapter. Sorry for the terrible lack of updates--work has been CRAZY the last month.  
Read and review, please!  
  
Chapter 12: Over  
  
Several weeks had passed since I broke the good news to Sydney about the elimination of SD-6 and the Alliance. I had expected her to be happy—ecstatic, even, but I had been shocked when she broke down into tears. I was only confused for a couple seconds before realizing that they weren't tears of sadness. Those I had seen enough to recognize.  
  
These were tears of relief. Joy. Hope.  
  
I had wrapped her gently in my arms, being careful of her still-healing body, and my tears had joined her own. We fell asleep that way—the first truly peaceful sleep either of us had experienced since this whole mess began.  
  
Sydney had been released from the hospital several days after that. I was surprised at how easily we fell into a normal relationship with each other. We had both been counting the days until we could be together without covert meetings and secret messages, but we had also been worried about so many things.  
  
What if our relationship didn't work once we could actually see each other freely? What if we fought? What about the CIA? Protocol?  
  
But it did work, and we didn't fight. And it seemed that the CIA had decided to ignore our obviously unprofessional relationship. Perhaps they felt that Sydney had already been through enough. If worse came to worse and our relationship became an issue, I was completely prepared to quit, because I had realized that the more I saw Sydney, the more I needed her. I knew what I would be missing without her in my life.   
  
I chuckled to myself as I sat at my desk at the CIA. It was so cliché, but we were made for each other.  
  
My heart pounded a bit faster as I thought of Sydney, and I glanced at my watch, realizing that it was almost time to quit for the day. Sydney had been granted sick leave to recover from her injury, and though she was returning to her normal self, exhaustion was still hitting her hard and fast. I had volunteered to cook her dinner tonight, and I realized with annoyance that I had forgotten to stop at the grocery store the night before.  
  
I cursed under my breath. I was going to be late. Grumbling at the fact that I would be prevented from seeing Sydney for at least another hour, I grabbed my cell phone and dialed her number by heart.  
  
It rang four times before Sydney picked up.  
  
"Hello?" She mumbled, yawning into the phone.  
  
"Hey, Syd," I said, smiling at the sleepiness in her voice. "Still tired?" I asked. She laughed dryly.  
  
"How could you tell?" She paused and I could almost see her pushing herself up to rest against the headboard of her bed. "Are you going to be here soon?" She asked, stifling another yawn.  
  
"That's why I called. I forgot to pick up groceries last night, so I'm going to be a little late." She laughed again.  
  
"What happened to 'always be prepared?'" She teased.  
  
"What can I say?" I replied. "I got distracted."  
  
"By what?" She asked.  
  
"You."   
  
"Hah!" She laughed sharply. "Good try, but flattery isn't gonna cut it this time, Boy Scout. I'm starved."  
  
"Sorry," I sighed, trying to sound hurt. "I'll try to be quick."  
  
"That's ok," she responded, feigning impatience. If only she knew how much I enjoyed the fact that we could joke like this. "Anything I can do to speed things along?" She asked.  
  
"No…" I said slowly, as if speaking to a child. "The doctor told you no strenuous activity, remember?"  
  
"Vaughn," she said, her voice firm. "I'd hardly call setting the table strenuous activity.  
  
I paused, considering her statement.  
  
"Vaughn." I could tell by the tone of her voice that her mind was already made up.  
  
"Fine," I said, wisely realizing that this was a fight I wouldn't win. "But that's it. I want you lying down on the couch by the time I get there."  
  
"Fine," she responded. She was pretending to pout, but I could tell that she was grinning.  
  
"See you soon, Syd." I said.  
  
"See you," she said, laughing as the line went dead.  
  
* * * * *  
  
I got to Sydney's house about 45 minutes later, juggling three bags of groceries in my arms as I knocked softly and struggled to open her front door.  
  
I walked into the kitchen, my eyes falling on the neatly set table, two thin candles glowing softly in the otherwise dim room.  
  
"Syd?" I called out as I unloaded my bags on the counter. She didn't respond, and I felt a sudden and familiar pang of worry.  
  
I scanned the room, and the worry faded away as my eyes fell upon her sleeping form sprawled across the couch. I walked over and kneeled in front of her, debating whether or not to wake her.  
  
Since getting back from the hospital, she had been sleeping for almost 15 hours a day. The doctor had told us that, with a head injury like Sydney's, this type of exhaustion was common. I suspected, though, that at least part of her exhaustion was a result of almost two years of continuous jet lag, stress, and sleepless nights.  
  
Deciding that she needed the rest, I brushed several strands of hair away from her eyes and placed a soft kiss on her forehead before returning to the kitchen to fix dinner.  
...TBC...  
  
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	13. Forever and a Day

I know. I'm the worst person in the world. It's been months. Maybe years even. I've lost track. And I apologize. I just couldn't think of a good ending to the story. I hope you all like what I came up with. And I don't deserve the reviews for being such a bad updater (the worst in the history of Alias fan fiction, probably), but I would still appreciate them :) Thanks for reading my stories!!  
  
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Forever and a Day  
  
It was almost an hour before Sydney woke up, and dinner was beginning to smell really good. I shook my head absently as my stomach growled once again. I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist as Sydney leaned up against my back, placing a soft kiss at the nape of my neck.  
  
"Hey," I said, smiling as I continued to move slowly around the kitchen, with Sydney's arms still wrapped around my waist. I paused in front o the stove, and Sydney rested her chin on my shoulder, watching intently as I chopped some parsley.  
  
"That smells good," she said finally.  
  
"I know," I replied, grinning. "Don't let it ever be said that Michael Vaughn can't cook." Sydney chuckled. "Did you have a good nap?" I asked, spinning her around in my arms and planting a kiss on her nose.  
  
"Mmhmm..." she nodded, beaming up at me. "I wish I could get some energy back."  
  
"You will," I replied. "It just takes time."  
  
"I know," she said, smiling slightly. "How long was I out?"   
  
I glanced at my watch. "Well, I've been here for almost two hours." I laughed as her expression changed to horror.   
  
"Why didn't you wake me up?" She asked, punching my lightly on the arm.  
  
"Because you need the rest. Doctor's orders." I said matter-of-factly. She grumbled, rolling her eyes, but I ignored her, grinning. She squinted her eyes at me before moving away to retrieve two wine glasses.  
  
"Wanna eat on the couch?" She asked over her shoulder.  
  
"That depends. Are you going to fall asleep on me again?" I aksed, holding back a laugh.  
  
"Maybe," she replied sheepishly. I nodded, realizing that she really was exhausted.  
  
"The couch sounds good." I smiled at her, dished up the food, and we sat down, Sydney immediately grabbing a fork and digging in.  
  
"This is really good," she said, glancing up at me as she shoveled another forkful into her mouth.  
  
"Wow." I said, watching her as she ate. "You were really hungry." I grinned as the blush crept up her neck and face, and her eating deliberately slowed.  
  
"Shut up," she replied, smiling at me.  
  
"What?" I asked defensively. "I think it's cute."   
  
"You're just giving me a hard time," she said, pouting.  
  
"That's true," I agreed.  
  
Still pouting, Sydney continued eating in silence. I watched her for a moment before returning my attention to my own meal. After several more bites, I was startled by Sydney's socked foot running up the side of my leg. Surprised, I bit down hard on my fork, wincing. I looked up at her, an eyebrow raised.  
  
She was grinning at me. Broad, toothy, dimpled, mischevious. And very, very sexy.  
  
I grinned back.  
  
"I thought you were tired," I said, slightly distracted by her foot as it worked its way under my pants leg.   
  
"I was," she replied, her eyes never leaving mine.   
  
"Not anymore?" I asked.  
  
"Nope." She shook her head slowly. I rose slowly, realizing what this meant, and moved to stand beside her. She looked up at me, still smiling. I extended my hand to her, and she took it, pulling herself up and out of the chair. I began moving in the general direction of the bedroom, pulling her along behind me.  
  
"Love me?" Sydney asked softly as we reached her bedroom door.  
  
"Forever," I replied. "Love me?" I repeated her question, a smile playing on my lips.  
  
"Forever and a day." She said, her lips meeting mine.  
  
...The End...  
  
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So there ya go. It's the big finale. Hope you all liked it. I really couldn't go for the NC-17 version... I've never been able to write like that (I blush just thinking about it). Though I have no problem reading it. ANYWAYS. Read and review if you all aren't terribly mad at me for not updating. 


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